Sealing and wrapping machine.



M. B. FERGUSON.

SEALING AND WRAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.26. 1913.

Patented Jan. 29,1918.

5 SHEET$-$HEET l APP LICATION FILED APR-26' l9l3.

M. B. FERGUSON, SEALING AND WRAPPING MACHINE.

Patentd Jan. 29,1918

5 SHEETSSHEET 2- Patented Jan. 29,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- M. B. FERGUSON.

SEALING AND WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26,1913;

1,254,895, Patentd Jan. 29,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- M. B. FERGUSON.

SEALING AN'D WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26. 1913.

1,254,895. v Patented Jan. 29,1918;

5 sHEETs-sHEEf 5.

MILFORD BERRIAN FERGUSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PACKAGE MACHINERY COMBANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SEALING AND WRAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 29,1918.

Application filed April 26, 1913. Serial No. 763,903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MILFORD B. FERGU- soN, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sealing and Wrapping Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-- tion.

It is necessary in the preparation of a great variety of articles for commercial distribution, to wrap them in paper or similar fabric, impregnated with paraflin or similar material to render it impervious to moisture, and to seal the flaps or overlapping portions of the wrapper to more efiectually exclude dust' and foreign matter. To 'ac complish this mechanically and by a single operation I have devised special machines for applying the wrappers and, by the applieation of heat and pressure, sealing the overlapping portions and flaps of the same, and my present invention is an improvement in apparatus of this class.

The machine-in which my present invention is embodied is more particularly designed for wrapping and sealing, in the manner above referred to, packages of chewing gum in the form in which that substance is customarily prepared for the market, and it will be described as adapted and applied for carrying on that operation, but from the natureand purpose of the machine described below, as well as from considerations of the construction and functions of its several elements, it will be perceived by those skilled in the art, that it is generally applicable, without substantial modification, or with only such changes as mechanical skill will readily suggest, to the'wrapping and sealing of other articles, largely without regard to their composition or form.

Tofacilitate an understanding of themachine as a whole, and a recognition of those features of novelty which distinguish it from previous structures for the same or similar purposes, I may state, in general terms, that in carrying out my invention the articles, in this case each consisting of a bundle of a definite number of strips or sticks of chewing gum, are delivered to the machine intermittently by a suitable conveyer, and by mechanical appliances, automatic in their operation, are associated with sections or sheets of waxed or similarly impregnated paper and deposited in receptacles or retainers brought by" the operation of the machine successively to the proper point for their introduction therein. While thus retained the lateral edges of the wrappers are caused to overlap and, by the progress of the retainers through the machine, subjected to heat and subsequent pressure to unite them. That is, the overlapping wrapper flaps are heated sufliciently to melt the wax, which they carry, and these flaps are held in contact with each other until the wax cools sufliciently to secure them together. This operation often is referred to, in this art, as heat sealing; and a package sealed in this manner often is designated as a heat sealed package, or a hotsealed package. By the further progress'of said retainers the projecting ends of the wrappers are folded and then united by heat and pressure or in other words are heat sealed together, so that each package is fully sealed, whereupon it is ejected from its' retainer on to a suitable conveye'r by which it is removed from the machine.

The mechanism by which these steps or operations are effected includes also as features of novelty, improvements in the construction of its elements and the relations of the same in the combinations which they comprise, but as these latter are largely matters of detail they may best be indicated by the claims based upon the description and .references to the accompanying drawings which follow.

Figure 1 is a view of the completemachine, partly in section, on the line XX pf Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view and part section looking from the right on line YY of Fig. 2.

'Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation looking from the left on line ZZ of Fig. 3.

. tion, on the vertical plane of the axis of th turret shaft, and

I frame is mounted one of a pair of rolls 1 for supporting a conveyer belt 2 by means of which the series of groups or bundles of sticks of gum 3 are brought up to the machine. On the shaft of the roll 1 is a ratchet wheel 4 engaged by a pawl 5 pivoted to a rocker arm 6 which in turn is connected by a link 7 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 8 pivoted to the main frame and oscillated about its bearing by an eccentric on the main drive shaft 9 with which it is properly connected. By this means the conveyer belt is advanced intermittently by steps equal to the width of a package of gum.

A cam on the shaft 9 operates through a suitable connecting rod 10 upon a stud or arm 11 on a rock shaft 12 from which extend two arms or plates 13. The shaft 12 has bearings on the under side of the table or platform 14 the receiving edge of which is bent downwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The bundles, of gum carried on the conveyer belt 2 and advanced intermittently thereby, are directed, by a chute 15, between the arms 13 and the movements of the parts thus far described are so timed, that immediately after a bundle has been embraced by said arms' the latter swing upwardly carrying the gum to the upper flat surface of the table or platform 14.

A spring seated plunger 16 is mounted on a block or carriage 17 adapted to be reciprocated by a suitable connection with the longer arm of the bell-crank lever 8 and the movement of said carriage is so timed that as soon as the arms 13, charged with a bundle of gum, have reached a Vertical position, the plunger 16 advances and forces the bundle of gum from between said arms and into one of a series of retainers which at that instant by the movement of a turret or rotary support 20 by which it is carried, is in position to receive it.

In passing from the arms 13 across the platform 14: the bundle of gum encounters a sheet of paraiiined or waxedpaper 18 of predetermined size, (see Fig. 4) and by its further forward movement this paper is folded around three sides of the bundle by the forcible insertion of the latter into the retainer. The size of the sheets of paper is such that their lateral edges .will overlap and ,a suflicient amount of paper extends beyond each end of the bundle and beyond the limits of the retainer to form end flaps which will overlap when folded. To facilitate the operation of associating a bundle of messes gum with a sheet of paper and to form a guide for the paper in its movement across the path of the gum, a pivoted spring actuated ate 19 normally depends vertically across t e path of the plunger and the article which is advanced by it across the table or platform. By the forward movement of the plunger, therefore, the plate or gate 19 is raised and held in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 7 until the plunger has been withdrawn from contact therewith. In its normal position the gate forms a guide plate which directs the paper into a slot in r i the platform.

The retainers above referred to are receptacles or pockets with open ends formed at intervals on the periphery of the rotary support or turret 20, and each is composed of two projections or lugs 21 rigid with the turret. To compensate for slight variations in the dimensions of the articles tobewrap-ped and in the thickness of the paper wrappers and to insure the proper retention of the same in place, one side of each retainer is formed by a spring seated plate 22 carried by the adjacent rigid projection, and each retainer is provided with a false or movable bottom comprising a plate 23 supported by a plun ger or rod 24: suitably mounted in guides in the turret which permit a reciprocating movement in a radial direction.

The movements of the turret are so timed with relation to those of the other parts, that a retainer is directly in the path of an advancing pile or bundle of gum at the instant when the latter is presented by the plunger 16. plete insertion of the gum together with its wrapper in a retainer, the plunger is Withdrawn and a wiper 25 carried by a rod 26 and reciprocated by a cam on shaft 9, is advanced tangentially across the opening of the retainer. This takes up the lower or rear edge or flap of the wrapper projecting from the retainer, as shown in Fig. 7, and folds it over the bundle of gum. The retainer in the meantime, advancing in a counterclockwise direction, travels past a steam-pipe 27 which folds the forward wrapper flap over the rear flap and next passes under a sheet-metal plate 28 in contact with the steam-pipe for the purpose of extending the heating surface thereof. By this means the paraffin or wax. carried by the overlapping flaps of the wrapper is melted and after passing beyond the plate 28 the package is moved along in contact with a shield or plate 98 by means of which the two overlapping wrapper flaps are pressed together and sufliciently cooled as the package moves over the metal surface to unite them due to the hardening of the wax.

Traveling under the plate 98 the partially wrapped bundle reaches the point illus- Immediately upon the comtrated in Fig. 6. Here the forward sides resser-plates 29 supported by bars 30, and are folded down over the ends of the package along the lines indicated by 31 in Fig.

9; As soon as this fold is eflected, flexible folding blades or wipers 32 carried by shafts 33 on opposite sides of the path of the retainers, and driven bychains 34 and sprockets 35 are caused to revolve and wipe the" ends of the package so as to fold down the paper from the rear along the lines indicated by 36 in Fig. 9. The folding blades 32 in revolving, pass under the ends of the .blades 29.

As the turret continues its movement the upper flaps 37 pass between the upper edges of the plates 29 and the shield 28, until they reach plates 38 supported on opposite sides 'of the path of the retainers, when they pass between said plates 38 and the plates 39,

- which are So shaped as to form a downwardly inclined slot-by means of which said upper flaps 37 are gradually folded down against the ends of the package of gum. The lower flaps 39 in the meantime pass below the plates 29, but with the completion of the fold of the upper flaps the former pass through upwardly inclined slots between plates 38 and plates 40 by which they are brought up against and over the flaps 37 as shown in Fig. 9.

The folding of the wrappers having been thus completed their ends are thereupon carried between steam heated boxes 41 by which the wax or other material with which the paper is impregnated is fused. After leaving the steam boxes the packages are 1 and firmly'united or heat sealed together.

After leaving the trough 42 and reaching the lowermost point in their travel, the wrapped and sealed packages are expelled from the retainers and deposited on a conveyer belt 43 by which they are carried through a chute 44 to any desired point. The means for expelling the packages are positive in action and are shown in Fig. 8 as constructed in the following manner. A disk 45 is mounted on the main shaft 46 of the turret and contains a cam groove 47 in its face. Into this groove projects a roller 48 carried by a fork 49 at-the end of .a stem 50 adapted to reciprocate vertically in suitablebearings. A toe 51 secured to the stem50 encounters a lug 52 on therods 24 carrying the false bottoms of the retainers, this operation being so timed-that the rod 24 will be actuated and the contents of the retainers expelled. at the proper instants.

In the above description the character -sories desirable if not indispensable. Chief and in practice these are matters that may be largely left to the skill and judgment of the constructor. The machine is, however, designed for intermittent movement and'in the drawings is so illustrated. For this purpose the main shaft 9 is driven at uniformrate and the intermittent operation of the several mechanisms above. described is secured by means of eccentrics or cams in the usual and well understood way. To impart an intermittent movement to the rotary support or turret which carries the retainers, however, I employ thefollowing specialtievices. D

On the turret shaft 46 is fixedly mounted a sprocket wheel 53 which is driven by a chain 54 from the main shaft 9. At the opposite end of said shaft 46 is fixed a pinion 55 which meshes with, a spur wheel 56 mounted in bearings on a depending arm 57 pivotally supported by the shaft 46 and turning about the same as a center. The spindle of gear wheel 56 carries a pinion 58 in mesh with a spur wheel 59, Fig.1, rigid with a loose sleeve 60 mounted/on the a shaft 46 and carrying the turret 20. The lower end of the oscillating arm 57 is connected by a rod 61 with the strap of an eccentric on the main shaft 9 and these parts are so related and timed that the rotary movement of the spur gear 59 and sleeve 66 will be alternately. retarded and accelerated by the oscillation of the arm 57 andconsequent orbital movement of pinion 58 with respect to the wheel 59, so, that the latter and withit the turret, will or may be brought to complete rest-during intervals of suflicient extent to insertthe bundles of gum and to permit the other operations incident to the machine which have been described above.

For the proper operation of the device above set forth I have found certain acces among these are the appliances for supplying the paper in sheets of the proper, size to the wrappers and means for preventing in'ury to the machine or to the contents of the retainers in case of stop age with any of the retainers filled. The rst named device is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 and will be described by reference thereto. I

A longweb of paper prepared for use in the machine is carried by a reel 62 mounted in convenient position'upon the frame. This web is'carried over and between two presser rolls (63, 64) geared together, the shaft of the lower roll 64 being continuously 125 driven by a chain 65 from the main shaft 9 which engages a sprocket 66 on a loose sleeve 67. When the paper feed isinoperation, the sleeve 67 is made fast to the shaft of the roll 64 by means of aclutch 68 oper- 130 necting rod atedfbyi a push-rod" 69 and in 70 (see Fig, 2').

. motion-is. imparted by'a long. throw '74, carried by an oscillating arm'75 an engaging a nratehet wheel 7 6 on the shaft of.

v per passes;dewnwai'dthrough 4 the path of the, plungehle, and through a Y vslot inthe'platform 14:, the devices above described ,,being emanated; and arranged The paper, aftep passing through the feed rolls 63,64, runs over-idlers 'br guides-to the intermittent feed rolls 71 '72 which" are geared together and receiveniotienfrom a spur- Wheel 73., To this latter, intermittent awl The arm l'fiis rocked by a conin any well understood way to draw the papercohti'nhously from the roll 62, but

at the'same -rate as it, isfed intermittently to therdevices which associate, with it the articles to lee-wrapped, and said devices are sotimed that when the plunger 18 forces 7 -an' article against the paper, the proper amouhtffora wrapperhas been fed and i severed from theme"; I 5

The 'dev'icesffor cutting the Web, best in Fig. 4, comprise a block 79' adapted tov reciproc ate' horizontally in a suitable whichthe'knifi or cutting 'blade projects: when brought'up by the forward-movement many kinds, shapes and s zes, and theqmvenframe, andcarryin 'a knife or cutter "blade 80 of any suitable of the blade are blocks 81 carried by spring actuated plungers working in the block 79,

and which press'the web of paper against a face plate 82 containing a slot through of the-block79.

The said block is reciprocated aseg- -lmental gear 87, engaging a rack bar'inte gral with the bloc nsaid' gear'being'intermittently and partia yrro'tated by the move- -..ment 'of-Vanarmj83'fpivoted at. 84 and oscillated by ajcam, 85 onshaft ,9, v through the I co ecting red-86;

thetaceglate 82, butwthe seyered section is snspende m" 1tsptopeipesition bysaid The sectiens of paperiare'severedffrom the web. while the aper is held ol Opposite sides of the knife y the blecksf81 against b s-" nt k n'te yl e ti le eh pedm; 'llhe pressure-exerted byv the,

@bloe =;8Jl',= howeyer, while taeilitatingxthe v desired operation, is liableftoeau the paper 7 isgamply ,Qto 'adhereT'to'the face v plate or to, he blocks themselves.-'g;'The-forward movement of the Y plunger-5,196? and the article advanced by it seficientite. detachqtheisevered sec- --.ti0 l 0f-ip ter should. rte-leer adhere tosuch p'a'lrtafbnttto insure the detachmentot th ewas the. web "minaret tatt riwin teed dewn 'aerosethepath' ot the plunger,

77. pivoted to its end and 430- v as shown 1nd. 011' Opposite side's are specificallydescribed;

ease-hes a T have devised the special meansshownin Y Fig. 5.

the end of arm 88 just before reaching the limit of its backward movement, which occurs after a section of paper has been fed, H

and just before the rolls are rotated bythe pawl 76 to efiect a further feed. The result of this engagement is to rotate the rolls 71, H 72 backward through a small arc by the frictional engagementof arm 88 with the a shaft of roll 72'. The movement of-the arm 88 is limited by a stationary-pin 91 entering a hole in the arm, but is suflicient'to impart to the web of paper a slight pull'that dev taches it from the Walls oftlts guide in case it has adheredto thesame. By the. subse-' quent rotation of; the rolls for feeding the paper, the arm 88-isshifted to its normal position after disengagement with' the lug'9Q. Should the machinestop for any. cause while the retainers are charged with pack ages of gum, thelatter'would be liable to be melted by the heat of the steamboxes 41,, v

andto avoid this the said boxes are carried by arms 92 pivoted to the frame at 93 and said arms are bent at right angles and pro vided with adjustable set screws 94 hearing] on the camsuriface-of a; sleeve 95', as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.. .A movement'of partial rotation may be imparted to the cam bya rocker arm 96 linked-to a hand rock shaft 97,

and when the 'latter 'is operated the steam boxes are swung about their pivotal supports away fromthe path of the retainers.v

: As above stated, the apparatus maybe,

used. for wrapping and sealing articles of fltion is limitfid th r. tothe 'special use Y herein described, nor to those details which Y What I claimiSz- Y W, fiie f 1.. In a-vwrapping'andfsealing machine, the combination v W1th -.a. series, of retainers to which-articles'aresuccessively presented and subjected to the operation of wrapping and sealing mechanisms, of- .a conveyer. for deliveringthe articles-to the machine,pmeans" for-raising the articles, one vat a time'from plunger operative to force said articles one ,the'conveyer toa position in 'alinement with the retainers, and a singlevreciprocatmg- I time: lfWi hawrapper"sheet into V J said retainers.-

2; The combination the rotary turret,

a series-of retainers carried thereby and a time'and depositing them on the table, a

plunger for forcing said articles'one at a time from said table into the retainers, and means for feeding sheets or sections of paper across the path of the plunger and the article advanced thereby.

3. The combination with a feed table or platform, aseries of retainers, movable past the feed table or platform-,t and a reciprowith a wrapper sheet, successively, into said retainers, of a reciprocating wiper movable acrossthe-ope'ning of the'retainers for folding the lower edge of a wrapper, a stationary heat sealing and folding device by means of which theupper edge of the wrapper is folded and caused to overlap the lower edge,

as the retainers advance, and means for folding and heat sealing the ends of the wrappers, coiiperating with the retainers during their further movement.

4. The wrapper ed'ge folding and sealing mechanism as a sub-combination of the elements of a machine of the kind described, comprising a rotary support,-a retainer car ried thereby, a wiper mounted independently of the rotary support and adapted to reciprocate"tangentially over the opening of said retainer, and heating and cooling 'surfaces overwhich the retainer Passes in its advancing movement.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a rotary turret having a series of retainers and folding devices cooperating therewith, of a conveyer for de-' 7 livering to the machine a'-'serie's of articles to be Wrapped, a table into alinement with which the retainers are moved one at a time, a

means for grasping the articles on the conyeyer by their ends and carrying them one at a time on to said table and additional means for forcing said artlcles from said table into the retainers.

sides thereof, and means for swingingsaid boxes away from the path of the retainers,

forjthe purpose set forth, eating plunger for forcing articles, together anism for intermittingly feeding a web of waxed orsimilar prepared paper into position to be associated with an article by said wrapping mechanism, of means'for severing said web, to form individual wrappers, and means for imparting to said paper feeding mechanism, after each feedingoperation, a backward movement of limited extent to detach the paper from surfaces to which it may have adhered.- I I 8. In a wrapping machine the combination with a conveying device carrying a plu-. rality of package retainers, of means'for introducing articles into said retainers one at a time witha wrapper impregnated with a readily fusible substance partially folded about each article, means for folding the wrapper about thearticle to form overlapping folds at the opposite ends of the article,

mounted to engage said end folds and means for moving said devices into and out of their operative relationship to said conveying device. 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses. MILFORD BEBRIAN FERGUSON.

Witnesses f v a 7 HENRY A. Boo'rn,

RALPH H. Boorrn. 

